Methods and apparatus for physical vapor deposition using directional linear scanning

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for physical vapor deposition are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for physical vapor deposition (PVD) includes: a linear PVD source to provide a stream of material flux comprising material to be deposited on a substrate; and a substrate support having a support surface to support the substrate at a non-perpendicular angle to the linear PVD source, wherein the substrate support and linear PVD source are movable with respect to each other along an axis that is perpendicular to a plane of the support surface of the substrate support sufficiently to cause the stream of material flux to move over a working surface of the substrate disposed on the substrate support during operation.

1 . An apparatus for physical vapor deposition (PVD), comprising:
 a linear PVD source to provide a stream of material flux comprising material to be deposited on a substrate; and   a substrate support having a support surface to support the substrate at a non-perpendicular angle to the linear PVD source,   wherein the substrate support and linear PVD source are movable with respect to each other along an axis that is perpendicular to a plane of the support surface of the substrate support sufficiently to cause the stream of material flux to move over a working surface of the substrate disposed on the substrate support during operation.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate support can rotate within the plane of the support surface. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second linear PVD source to provide a second stream of material flux comprising material to be deposited on the substrate at a non-perpendicular angle to the plane of the support surface.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate support is movable from a first position, which is closest to the linear PVD source, to a second position, which is further from the linear PVD source. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein in the first position the stream of material flux is proximate a first side of the substrate, such that in the first position the stream of material flux can at least one of miss the substrate or impinge upon at least the working surface of the substrate along the first side of the substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein in the second position the stream of material flux is proximate a second side of the substrate opposite the first side, such that in the second position the stream of material flux can at least one of miss the substrate or impinge upon at least the working surface of the substrate along the second side of the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first position and the second position are configured such that, in operation, motion between the first position and the second position causes the stream of material flux to move across the substrate from a first side of the substrate to an opposite second side of the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an opening couples an interior volume of a housing of the apparatus and a deposition chamber of the apparatus to allow the stream of material flux to pass from the housing into the deposition chamber and onto the substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the opening has a width that is wider than a width of the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . A method for physical vapor deposition (PVD), comprising:
 providing a stream of material flux comprising a first material to be deposited on a substrate using a linear PVD source;   supporting the substrate at a non-perpendicular angle to the linear PVD source on a substrate support; and   causing the stream of material flux to move over a working surface of the substrate by moving at least one of the substrate support or the linear PVD source along an axis perpendicular to a plane of the substrate to deposit the first material on the substrate.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising rotating the substrate within the plane of the substrate using the substrate support. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 depositing a second material on the substrate at a non-perpendicular angle to the plane of the substrate using a second linear PVD source configured to provide a second stream of material flux comprising the second material.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second material is the same as the first material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second material is different from the first material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising moving the substrate support from a first position, which is closest to the linear PVD source, to a second position, which is further from the linear PVD source. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein in the first position the stream of material flux is proximate a first side of the substrate, such that in the first position the stream of material flux can at least one of miss the substrate or impinge upon at least the working surface of the substrate along the first side of the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein in the second position the stream of material flux is proximate a second side of the substrate opposite the first side, such that in the second position the stream of material flux can at least one of miss the substrate or impinge upon at least the working surface of the substrate along the second side of the substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate moves between the first position and the second position such that the stream of material flux impinges upon an entire working surface of the substrate over a course of at least one of a single scan from the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position. 
     
     
         19 . A nontransitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which when executed by a controller perform a method for physical vapor deposition (PVD), comprising:
 providing a stream of material flux comprising a first material to be deposited on a substrate using a linear PVD source;   supporting the substrate at a non-perpendicular angle to the linear PVD source on a substrate support; and   causing the stream of material flux to move over a working surface of the substrate by moving at least one of the substrate support or the linear PVD source along an axis perpendicular to a plane of the substrate to deposit the first material on the substrate.   
     
     
         20 . The nontransitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 rotating the substrate support within the plane of the support surface.